Sinkie Jover Chew sentenced to 33 months' jail

SINGAPORE: Jover Chew, the owner of now-defunct mobile phone shop Mobile Air, was sentenced to 33 months' jail on Monday (Nov 30) for cheating 26 victims out of S$16,599 over a period of 10 months.

On Nov 16, Chew, 33, pleaded guilty to 12 charges of cheating which took place between January and October 2014. Another 16 charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.


Ten out of the 12 proceeded charges were for cheating offences, while the remaining two were for criminal intimidation and intentional distress.

In November 2014, a video of a Vietnamese tourist begging Chew for a refund went viral. Mr Pham Van Thoai - a factory worker who made about S$200 monthly - paid S$950 for an iPhone 6 at Mobile Air, but was told he could only get the phone if he paid an additional warranty fee of S$1,500.

Chew and his employees also made another customer pick up S$1,010 in coins off his shop floor. The amount was what the Small Claims Tribunal had ordered Mobile Air to refund the customer after the shop overcharged on the price of an iPhone 6 Plus.

Four of Chew’s former employees have been handed jail terms of between four and 14 months.

In a hearing earlier this month, Chew’s lawyer told the court that his client was undergoing treatment for depression. Chew’s wife had also initiated divorce proceedings, his lawyer added. Chew was also taking care of his parents and servicing massive debts incurred by his elder brother, the court heard.

- CNA/dl

This stupid ah beng cheated 26 victims out of S$16,599 over a period of 10 months. So little can survive?

Seriously, i don't know how these ah bengs can survive.

Poor fellow. I feel really sorry for him.

Scrooball (clone) said:

This stupid ah beng cheated 26 victims out of S$16,599 over a period of 10 months. So little can survive?

Seriously, i don't know how these ah bengs can survive.

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These amount are the reported case some might not even report.... Amount could be higher

i fear for his safety, many Vietnamese convicts are waiting for sodomize him

zeroo said:

Ten out of the 12 proceeded charges were for cheating offences, while the remaining two were for criminal intimidation and intentional distress.

In November 2014, a video of a Vietnamese tourist begging Chew for a refund went viral. Mr Pham Van Thoai - a factory worker who made about S$200 monthly - paid S$950 for an iPhone 6 at Mobile Air, but was told he could only get the phone if he paid an additional warranty fee of S$1,500.

- CNA/dl

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Couple of points:

(a) The sentence is manifestly inadequate taking into account the bullying and psychological trauma his victims underwent.

(b) If you're making $200 a month, you shouldn't even be buying phones costing $950 in the first place.

Thick Face Black Heart said:

Couple of points:

(a) The sentence is manifestly inadequate taking into account the bullying and psychological trauma his victims underwent.

(b) If you're making $200 a month, you shouldn't even be buying phones costing $950 in the first place.

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If you make $200 a month, you should consider Bedok Reservoir!

Wonder did he show the peace sign to the judge who pass his sentence?

Guess he have to be alone till his cell mate join him later...lol

KNN only 33 months??

Fuck, should be at least 10 years

Cheating $16,000 kena 33 months; whereas Sun Whore's con-husband cheated $50,000,000 only kena 96 months. What lousy justice in peesai-land.

Reddog said:

Cheating $16,000 kena 33 months; whereas Sun Whore's con-husband cheated $50,000,000 only kena 96 months. What lousy justice in peesai-land.

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Both sentences are manifestly inadequate.

Reddog said:

Cheating $16,000 kena 33 months; whereas Sun Whore's con-husband cheated $50,000,000 only kena 96 months. What lousy justice in peesai-land.

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con-hee has god on his side....wanna guess , which god? ha ha ha ha

eErotica69 said:

KNN only 33 months??

Fuck, should be at least 10 years

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Joven Chew $16K get 33 months!!

Equation here is WRONG Already!!! :

Than Kong Hee Fatt Choi scam/cheat $50 million he should be getting at
least 60 years in Changi Holiday Bungalow!!

8 Years is short change for $50 million! No wonder Public Prosecutor
want to increase the sentence! He is right!

Jover will b e convert by Kong Hee in Changi

VICTIM OPENS UP ON TRAUMATIC ENCOUNTER WITH JOVER CHEW

FORMER MOBILE PHONE SHOP OWNER JOVER CHEW (RIGHT) WAS JAILED 33 MONTHS AND FINED $2,000 YESTERDAY FOR CHEATING HIS CUSTOMERS. ONE OF HIS VICTIMS SAYS HE WAS TRAUMATISED BY HIS ENCOUNTER WITH CHEW

50
Dec 1, 2015 6:00am
BY RONALD LOH


He wanted to buy an iPad Air and decided to visit Sim Lim Square.

After all, he had frequented the mall previously and bought a drawing tab and piano accessories without any problems.

But his decision to visit Mobile Air turned out to be one he still regrets after he was cheated of over $400 by its employees.

Adam (not his real name), who is from a neighbouring South-east Asian country, was one of the 26 customers fleeced by the shop's then owner, Jover Chew, and his staff members.

Chew, 33, was jailed 33 months and fined $2,000 yesterday. He had pleaded guilty last month to 10 counts of cheating, one count of criminal intimidation and one count of causing distress.

Adam, who has been working in Singapore for five years and declined to give his real name for fear of reprisals, recounted to The New Paper his harrowing experience when he visited Sim Lim Square sometime between April and August last year.

He walked into Mobile Air, which has since closed down, to buy an iPad Air and was quoted a price of about $450.

"I trusted the shop because I had full trust that Singapore shopkeepers were running honest businesses," he said.

But after paying up, the Mobile Air staff demanded$900 more.

That was when Adam knew something was wrong and called the police.

It did not seem to work.

He said: "They (the staff members) acted smug and confident that they could convince the police. And they did."

Adam said the police officers just told him to contact the Consumers Association of Singapore.

He did not get back the money that he paid to the shop.

Said Adam: "I have no one here to back me up - my family, friends are not here. I'm sure this is why they target low-wage foreign workers like me.

"I felt weak and helpless."

It was a point noted yesterday by District Judge Siva Shanmugam, who said most of Chew's victims were foreigners and were unlikely to assert their rights here.

ADVERSE EFFECT

Judge Siva also said the offences had an adverse effect on Singapore's efforts to promote itself as a retail hub with both the local and foreign media highlighting the need for caution on the part of customers when dealing with errant local retailers.

Said Adam: "The experience definitely left an indelible mark on how I purchase items. No, I won't go back (to Sim Lim Square), or to any shop that looks cheap and dubious."

Adam said he had no opinion on Chew's sentence and how the court delivered judgment.

He said: "I only wish those victimised will learn from it.

"I love Singapore and hold the Government and law enforcement in very high regard.

"I know a lot of Singaporeans are doing their part to keep the country safe for everyone."

The experience definitely left an indelible mark on how I purchase items. No, I won't go back (to Sim Lim Square), or to any shop that looks cheap and dubious.


I have no one here to back me up - my family, friends are not here. I'm sure this is why they target low-wage foreign workers like me.

- Adam (not his real name), one of the 26 customers fleeced by Jover Chew and his staff members

Chew set up shop to scam customers: judge

District Judge Siva Shanmugam said yesterday that Jover Chew Chiew Loon had set up Mobile Air to cheat unsuspecting customers, and the 26 cheating charges showed his persistence in doing so.

The judge added that Chew had used a variety of dishonest means and "remained unperturbed by letters from the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) and a default order from the Small Claims Tribunal".

He sentenced Chew, 33, to 33 months' jail and fined him $2,000 for 10 counts of cheating, one count of criminal intimidation and another of using insulting behaviour on a customer.

Another 16 cheating charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

His four accomplices - Koh Guan Seng, Kam Kok Keong, Lim Hong Ching and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei - were jailed between four and 14 months each in October.

Court papers said that after setting up Mobile Air in October 2013, Chew had masterminded a scheme to lure unsuspecting customers to his Sim Lim Square shop by offering mobile devices at low prices.

He also taught his sales team a set of tricks they could use to con customers, including bullying tactics to force sales and inflating prices with exorbitant add-ons.

CHEATING

Between January and October last year, Chew and his accomplices cheated 26 customers of $12,199.

Chew actively managed Mobile Air and earned 60 per cent commission on profits from mobile phone sales.

The shop first made headlines last October after giving a customer $547 in coins as part of a $1,010 refund ordered by the Small Claims Tribunal.

It was in the spotlight again the following month after a video clip of a Vietnamese tourist kneeling in his shop and begging for a refund went viral.

Chew has since returned all $12,199 due to his 26 victims.

His mother, who was in court, was seen sobbing and hugging her son after the proceedings.

- See more at: http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore-ne...cial&utm_source=Facebook#sthash.TB2AOZf6.dpuf

Must be a PR from Malaysia here. Too many of these crooks running around. Guess that will teach them that their cheating culture belongs in their failed country and the prison.

Only 33 months? Not long enough, imo.

Should be around 5 years or so. 33 months, many gangster types will just see it as "holiday".

Remember, Jover was callous enough to fleece that Viet tourist. That kind of money must have taken him (Viet tourist) years of hard work to save up. Yet Jover did not think twice about ruining that fellow's dream...

So if you ask me, a 33 month sentence is just too short...

Leongsam said:

Poor fellow. I feel really sorry for him.

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Me?

Thanks.

So,
I
Am
Back.

No
Joke.